New Member Questions

I have worked in a loud industrial environment for 15 years and I have always been good about wearing my hearing protection. Beginning this year, I have developed tinnitus. This brings me to some questions I have about my current challenges with it and those which I have to look forward to:

I have concluded that it takes less and less noise to cause a rise in my tinnitus. This noise does not have to be what most folks would call significant. It might be a louder air conditioner vent which I sit next to for a while. My wife sitting next to me thinks nothing of it. Does this rise in sensitivity to ringing correspond to a rise in sensitivity to permanent damage? In other words, is my hearing more easily damaged and does this ultimately lead to a scenario of damage from the sound of a pin dropping? As of earlier this year, I have some tinnitus that is constant. Most of the time it is such that I can live with it though annoying and sometimes distractive. But, I wonder how bad it can get. Can it get totally debilitating? I am wearing double hearing protection now which is above and beyond what is required. But I can still have a rise in tinnitus after work. Per the last annual hearing test I took I have not had a change in hearing to speak of. Tinnitus is the problem and not hearing loss. I have 10 more years to work in this environment. What can I expect for the future of my hearing and what can I expect for my future of tinnitus? The ENT I saw recently said I will be able to hear in 10 years no problem. I should have probed him more about his thoughts on my future tinnitus and how to prevent that from getting worse. I would like to hear what folks here have to say about my future hearing and tinnitus.

I know I have put a lot out here for my first post, but I am am concerned about this and would value your comments.

Thanks,
NRB

 

I don't think any of us can really say what the future holds for your t and hearing but t does not cause hearing loss. I would get a good pair of ear plugs if you work in loud enviorments. Not sure why your t goes up with certain noises but sometimes it's more of a perception thing. I use to think evey loud noise or what I thought were loud noises made my t louder. But they did not. I suppose some have more debilitating t then others but everyone is different. My father's has never gotten worse in over 20 years and he never wears ear protection. Most people habituate and get better over time.

 

Cullenbohannon

Thank you for the response. I appreciate it.

Since T is so often associated with hearing loss it has made me wonder if it is an indication of permanent damage when I have a rise in it. What I am understanding from what you have said here is that it is not necessarily so, which is good news. I think I somewhat understand the perception thing and I try to weed out what is perception and what is an actual rise. My wife says I make a study about everything. But, I want to understand. I do wear the foam type ear plugs and now I wear the ear muffs too. I just don't want this tinnitus thing to become debilitating in the future as I have years to go before I am done with this loud industrial environment. I hope I am like your father in that T doesn't get worse.

Your response was encouraging to me. Thank you.

NRB